AUBURN HILLS -- The Detroit Pistons selected Georgia guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at No. 8 overall in tonight's 2013 NBA Draft, a pick they hope will add perimeter shooting to a team lacking the quality and might signal Brandon Knight shifts back to point guard.

The Pistons had a shot at Michigan guard Trey Burke, who still was available in a draft featuring a sequence of early surprises, but passed on him.

Caldwell-Pope was the first Georgia player since Dominique Wilkins in 1981 to be named SEC Player of the Year and first-team All-SEC by coaches and media.

He averaged 18.5 points and 7.1 assists, and was one of nine Division I players to score in double figures in all of his team's games last season.

"I'm a hard-working kid," Caldwell-Pope told ESPN. "I'm humble. I play both sides of the ball. I'm a great scorer and defender. Looking to come in and help any way I can."

Caldwell-Pope, at 6-feet-6, gives the Pistons size in the backcourt. He shot 37.3 percent from 3-point range last season and is highly regarded as a defender.

His selection may foretell an inkling that the Pistons don't expect to re-sign free agent point guard Jose Calderon and plan to have Knight shift back to point guard under new coach Maurice Cheeks.

The draft got off to a stunning start when the Cleveland Cavaliers reached for UNLV forward Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 overall pick.

That started a sequence of events in which Nerlens Noel, who typically was favored as the No. 1 pick in most projections, slid to the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 6, where he will form a formidable front line with last year's top overall pick Anthony Davis.